Over half polled prefer to work in spaces at 24 deg C or warmer

Report offers measures to cool workplaces sustainably without compromising comfort

- Zachary Lim

While many commercial buildings in Singapore are cooled to between 21 deg C and 22 deg C, a survey of 5,000 respondents commissioned by the Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) found that more than half of the respondents preferred maintaining indoor temperatures at 24 deg C or warmer.

The results of the survey, dubbed the Indoor Comfort Quiz, were revealed on July 9 at the International Green Building Conference 2025 at Raffles City Convention Centre, in a summary report titled Go 25 Indoor Comfort Snapshot.

The report surveyed individuals working in air-conditioned environments across various industries and offers data-driven insights to help business owners, building managers and workplace experience teams make informed decisions about temperature settings in commercial spaces. Its goal is to encourage the adoption of sustainable cooling measures without compromising comfort levels.

These measures include adopting hybrid cooling alternatives, such as setting the air-conditioning at 25 deg C and coupling it with ceiling fans, as well as encouraging employees to dress lightly.

This comes as Singapore rolled out the Go 25 movement in May, which encourages residents to set the indoor air-conditioning temperature in their homes, offices and buildings to 25 deg C.

The campaign is an initiative housed under Go Green SG 2025.

According to SGBC president Allen Ang, buildings account for more than 20 per cent of Singapore's carbon emissions, with air-conditioning being a key contributor to building energy consumption.